Loose leaf binder



Jul 26, 1938. a E, HAMLIN '7 2,125,048

oosn LEAF BINDER.

Filed Sept. 50, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 66 67 II iii A f Y 7/ 5 5 V5 0 sz g 9 7 v v 1 ,INVENTDR WITNEE BY TTDRHEY July 25, 193. E, HAMLIN 1 2,125,048

' LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Sept. 50, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 11w ENT [1R WImEE s mt m; L AT"? 0 RN m Patented July 26, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOOSE LEAF BINDER Application September 30, 1935, Serial No. 42,763

2 Claims.

My invention relates to loose leaf binders and more particularly to loose leaf binders of the post clamp type.

An object of my invention is the provision of a loose leaf binder of the post clamp type in which one cover section, including the casing for housing the post clamping mechanism, may be readily removed from the binder to enable removal, i e-arrangement or replacement of sheets of paper in the binder and the provision of means whereby the binder may be re-assembled quickly and with a minimum of elfort by placing the casing over the ends of the posts and pressing thereupon to secure the casing to the posts.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a loose leaf binder of the post clamp type which is easy to operate, and in which the clamps, for securing the binder covering to the posts, are brought into holding engagement with the posts during re-assembly of the binder by merely pressing upon the casing which encloses the post clamps.

My invention further contemplates the provision of a loose leaf binder of the post clamp type in which the post clamps are spring actuated so that they may be secured to the posts merely by pressing upon the housing which encloses the post clamp and the provision of means operated from the ends of the casing for releasing the post clamps from the posts.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be more apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a complete binder with the pages thereof in assembled condition.

Figure 2 is a view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1' in the direction indicated by the arrow.

Figure 3 is a View taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 2 in the direction indicated by the arrow.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the casing with the top portion thereof removed, taken approximately on the line 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a saddle or fulcrum for the post clamps.

Figure 7 is a view showing a spring suitable for pressing the post clamps into clamping engagement with the posts.

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing a modified form of the construction illustrated in Figures 1 to' '7 inclusive.

Figure 9 is a view taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a view taken on the line Ill-I0 of Figure 9.

The loose leaf binder, in which my invention is embodied, comprises a pair of covers II and I2 between which a quantity of paper I3, pamphlets or similar articles are adapted to be found. Each of the covers is provided with hinge lugs I4 which are adapted to co-operate with similar hinge lugs I6 extending from casings I1 and. I8. Suit-able pintles I9, extending through the hinge lugs I l and I6, enable the covers II and I2 to hinge with respect to casings I1 and I8 respectively. 15

The lower casing I'l, while it may consist of a fiat bar to which the posts 2I and 22 for retaining the paper are anchored, preferably comprises a tubular body formed of sheet metal, the ends of which are closed by metal end closures 23. The posts 2| and 22, while they may be permanently anchored in the casing H, are preferably removably threaded in anchor lugs 24 which are secured in the casing as by riveting the ends thereof as indicated in the drawings at 26. The posts 2| and 22 are preferably made in two sections, as indicated at 21, so that the top half of each of the posts may be removed, if desired, and a longer section of post threaded into the lower half of the post in order to accommodate a larger quantity of paper in the binder. Suitable apertures 28 and 29 are provided in each of the post sections for the insertion of a tool to enable the post sections to be readily unthreaded from each other or from the anchor lugs 24.

The upper casing I8 is formed in similar manner to the lower casing I1 and houses releasable post clamping mechanism which upon release enables removal of the casing I8 together with the cover I2 from the posts whereby sheets of paper may be inserted or removed from the binder. The housing I8 is provided with aligned openings and 25 for the reception of the ends of the posts which, when the binder is in assembled con-- dition, project through the casing. The mechanism for releasably securing the casing I8 to the posts 2I and 22 comprises post clamps 3| and 32 together with suitable mechanism for normally urging the post clamps into clamping engagement with the posts and mechanism for shifting the post clamps from said position of engagement when it is desired to remove the casing I8 and cover [2 from the posts.

The post clamps 3| and 32 each consists ofa provided with an opening 31 for the reception of the posts. The opening 31 in each of the gripping sections is slightly larger in diameter than the diameter of the post and is preferably slightly oval with the long axis thereof extending crosswise of the housing |8 so that the post,

when the gripping section of the post clampisperpendicular thereto, may freely pass through the opening. The openings 31, when the grip' ping sections of the post clamps are perpendicular to the posts, are in registry with the openings 25 and 25 in the bottom and top walls of the housing I8. Each of the post clamps is provided, at or near its midpoint, with a transverse slot 4| adapted to receive themidpart 42 of an upstanding member 45 formed as part of a post clamp saddle 43. The post clam'p'saddle 43 comprises the upstanding member 45 which is formed with grooves 44 and fulcrum points 46 upon which the post clamp rocks. The other end of the post clamp saddle'has an upstanding portion 41 which is adapted to be received in an end slot 48 formed in the post clamp. A U- shaped hairpin spring 49', shown in Figure '7, rests in the grooves 44 and has its legs extending through apertures formed in the base of the post clamp saddle. 7

When the post clamp saddle and the post clamp are in assembled relationship, the legs of the spring 49 rest upon the base of the saddle and the upper portion of the spring which encircles the upstanding portion 41 presses upwardly upon the lever section 36 of the post clamp thereby rocking the post clamp about the f ulcrumpoints 46 so that the walls of the opening 31 in the post clamp engage the sides of the post. The post clamp saddles may be held in the. casing l8 by striking up portions 50 of the housing. to retain the post clamp saddles against movement longitudinally of the housing and; confine them rigidly between the bottom and top walls of the casing. It will be appreciated that rocking of the post clamps on the fulcrum points 46 will raiseor lower the gripping sections 34 of the-post clamps so as to release or engage the post clamps with the posts.

Means are provided for raising the gripping sections 34 of the post clamps to a position perpendicular to the posts and thereby release the housing from the posts. Such means comprise a slide 52, suitably mounted in the housing l8,

and adapted to move longitudinally thereof soas to bring cam portions 53 formed in" the slide into engagement with the ends of the gripping sections of the post clamps; The cam portions 53 when moved into engagement with the ends of the post clamps cam the gripping sections upwardly to a position perpendicular tothe posts and thus release the posts; The opposite ends of the slide 52 are provided with openings 56 forming legs 51, 58, 59 and 6| which straddle the posts, the cam portions- 53 of the slide being formed in these leg portions of the slide, The central portion of the slide has a raised portion as indicated at 60 which engages the top wall of the casing and retains the slide in the proper position in the casing. A pin 65 extending through the walls of the casing is in registry with a slot 65 formed in the slide and serves to guide the slide.

by a metallic end closure 62 while the other end of the casing I8 is closed by two metallic end closure members 63 and 64. The end closure member 64, shown most clearly in Figure 5, is anchored in position by making the portion 66 thereof slightly larger than the casing, as indicated at 61, so that it bears against the end of the casing. The end closure member 64 has an internal hollow portion 68 adapted to receive a spring 69 one end of which is secured to the leg 51 of the slide while the other end is secured to an anchor pin 1| retained in the end closure 64. The end closure 63 constitutes a finger piece for moving the slide 52 to one leg 58 of which it is secured by riveting as shown at 12. The finger piece 63 is slidable in the casing and slidable with respect to the end closure 64.

The mechanism described constitutes a simple means for releasing the post clamps from theposts and for enabling the post clamps to return automatically into a position such that when the binder is to be reassembled the easing may be pressed down over the posts and the post clamps re-engaged with the posts without the necessity of returning the slide to its normal position manually. When the finger piece 63 for releasing the slide is pushed inwardly the slide 52 is moved longitudinally of the casing |8 until the cam portions 53 engage the ends of the post'clamps 3| and 32 raising them against the tension of the springs 49 until the openings 31 are in registry with and the side walls of the openings free from the posts whereupon the casing I8, together with the cover l2, may be lifted from the ends of the posts. Upon release of the finger piece 63 from manual contact the spring 68 automatically draws the slide to the left, as viewed in the drawings; until the cam portions 53 are out of engagement with the post clamps 3| and 32, whereupon the springs 49 will automatically press the post clamps back into position to be engaged by the posts.

' When the binder is being re-assembled the housing I8' is placed over the ends of the posts with the openings 25 therein in registry with the posts and upon a slight manual pressure being exerted on the top of the housing |8 the posts will cam the post clamps 3| and 32 upwardly so that the posts will enter the openings in the post clamps and then pass upwardly through the openings 25' in the housing I8. As soon as the posts have passed through the openings 31 in the post clamps the springs 49 will automatically press the post clamps into engagement with the posts and upon further movement of the casing, into the position shown in Figure 2, the housing l8 will be rigidly secured to the posts.

In Figures 8 to inclusive I have shown a V modified form of the construction illustrated in Figures 1 to' '7 inclusive. In this modified construction instead of using a single slide in the casing I8, as in the construction previously described, two slides 86 and 81 are used, to the inner ends 88 and 89 of which a spring 9| is secured. The spring 9| tends to move the inner ends 88 and 89 of the slides toward each other thereby moving outwardly the outer ends of the slides which are secured as indicated at 90 to end closures or finger pieces 92, similar to the finger piece 63. Stationary end closure pieces 93' are also provided which are rigidly held in the casing in a similar manner to that described in connection with the preferred form of the invention.

In this modified construction the operator presses upon both finger pieces 92 to push the slides 86 and 81 inwardly against the tension of the spring 9!. The inward movement of the slide brings the cam portions 53 of the slides into contact with the post clamps to raise them out of engagement with the posts. When the casing l8 has been removed from the posts and the finger pieces 92 released the spring 9| automatically returns the slides to normal position. Outward movement of the slides so as to bring the finger pieces beyond the end closures 93 is prevented by stops 94 provided respectively on the slides 86 and 81. The stops 94 engage the ends of the post clamp saddles 43 and prevent further outward movement of the slides. When the binder of Figures 8 to 10 is being reassembled the post clamps are automatically engaged with the posts when the housing I8 is pressed down over the posts.

It is believed that the operation of the constructions shown is sufficiently clear from the foregoing description and it will be apparent therefrom that I have provided a loose leaf binder of the post clamp type in which one cover and its associated casing can be readily removed from the posts and when the binder is being reassembled, after the insertion or removal of sheets of paper, the housing may be quickly and conveniently secured to the posts merely by placing the openings in the housing in registry with the posts and pressing downwardly on the top of the housing. It will also be appreciated that various modifications and changes may be made in the formand relation of the parts of the constructions illustrated without departing from the spirit of myinvention, as defined in the appended claims:

1. A loose leaf binder of the so-called post clamp type wherein the paper is tightly retained between a housing having posts rigidly secured thereto and a second housing releasably secured to said posts, and wherein apertured post clamps in the releasable housing are normally spring pressed into angular relationship with the posts to clamp the same thereto, and wherein slide means in the releasable housing adapted to move the post clamps to a substantially perpendicular position with respect to the posts is normally retained out of engagement with the post clamps by spring means, characterized by a finger piece connected to said slide and protruding from one end of the releasable housing, said finger piece being movable at least part way into said housing against the action of the spring means to move the slide to post clamp disengaging position, a closure member for the end of said releasable housing through which the finger piece protrudes, said member projecting beyond the housing along the rear edge of the finger piece, whereby said member protects the finger piece from being aceidentally operated, said construction enabling the operator to remove the releasable housing from the posts by grasping said releasable housing at its ends and pushing inward on the finger piece while simultaneously lifting the releasable housing upward.

2. A loose leaf binder of the so-called post clamp type wherein the paper is tightly retained between a housing having posts rigidly secured thereto and a second housing releasably secured to said posts, and wherein apertured post clamps are normally spring pressed into angular relationship with the posts to clamp the same thereto and wherein slide means in the releasable housing adapted to move the post clamps to a substantially perpendicular position with respect to the posts is normally retained out of engagement with the post clamps by spring means, characterized by finger operated means connected to said slide means and protruding from at least one end of the releasable housing, said finger operated means being movable inward at least part way intosaid housing against the action of said spring means to move said slide means to post clamp disengaging position, means in connection with the housing for protecting said finger operated means against accidental operation, said construction enabling the operator to remove the releasable housing from the posts by grasping said releasable housing at its ends and pushing inward on said finger operated means while simultaneously lifting the releasable housing upward.

GUY E. HAMLIN. 

